Flutopia
by ilovetvalot
Summary: When the flu epidimic strikes the BAU, can the last man standing save the day? Written for Bonus Challenge 21 on the TV Prompt Forum compliments of Sienna27 and Kavi Leighanna. Written for superstar1000
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: As you all know by now, we are in full swing on the Profiler's Choice Awards hosted on "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". _And we'd like to offer an extra incentive to get those nominations rolling in. For the next five people to complete the nomination ballot in its entirety, I would be happy to write a oneshot of your pairing preference (hetero, slash or femslash, doesn't matter!). _We have an abundance of incredible stories and authors to choose from this year and we have already received many wonderful nominations. Just to refresh your memory though, tonnie2001969 and myself (ilovetvalot) have removed ourselves from eligibility in the interest of avoiding all appearances of self-promotion. But, we want to make this an incredible experience for each one of you and give you a well-rounded final voting selection to choose from. So let's all put on our reading caps and pick our favorites! **

**Also, don't forget to sign up for our newest challenge at the forum. We're honoring Halloween with our first ever "Candy Land Challenge" and signups run through September 30th! Details are at the forum!**

**We also want to invite you to take a look at our new discussion threat at the forum, "The Ever Controversial Original Character" and a riveting new interview with the very talented forensicwhiz94! Stop by and get to know her!**

**As always, guys, Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Flu-topia**

**Chapter One**

_**Prompt: Mona the Vampire - "Flu-topia"**_

David Rossi noticed two pertinent facts as he stepped off the elevator to the BAU's appointed floor. First, there were no people milling in the normally busy hallway. And second but just as important, there was none of the usual god awful music filtering out of Penelope Garcia's office.

Strange. Definitely strange.

Walking down the deserted corridor, he was met with an empty bullpen; none of his team anywhere in sight. Automatically glancing toward Hotch's office, he immediately realized that it, too, was darkened, indicating that nobody was home. In all of his time back on the venerable BAU team, Dave could only remember one time when Aaron Hotchner had taken an unscheduled leave day…and that had not turned out well for any of them. Shaking his head at that thought, he reminded himself that if the worst had happened, then he would have already found out about it. That's why JJ insisted he carry that damned PDA, wasn't it?

Frowning, he headed toward the conference room next. Perhaps, they had received a case at the last moment. That would certainly explain their absence, he thought reasonably. Reaching the door, he found it locked despite the shuffling of papers he heard inside. Knocking loudly on the door, his confusion increased as he heard Spencer Reid's decidedly nasal voice say in an obviously suspicious tone, "Who's there?"

"It's Rossi," Dave replied gruffly, shaking the brass handle again. Up until this moment, he had never realized that the door actually had a lock on it. "Let me in, Reid."

"Are you infected?" Reid asked warily through the still closed door, though, this time, his voice was decidedly closer.

"Infected with what?" Dave snapped, pounding his fist against the wood in frustration. Never a man that liked being kept waiting, he hoped that Spencer Reid realized he was treading dangerously close to his threshold of patience.

"The flu, Agent Rossi! It's like flu-topia out there," Reid sputtered, his eyes widening behind the closed door as he stared at the heavy walnut currently providing his only shield from the attack of mutant virus genes intent on destroying humanity. "The news is calling it the worst outbreak in a decade. The entire city has been blanketed. Congress has had to take an unscheduled recess. Schools are closed...hospitals are at capacity...it's..."

"Reid, slow down," Rossi said calmly as the younger man babbled on, his nasal voice growing higher in pitch with each frantic word. Thinking back, he did remember reading something in the Seattle newspaper about that. But two weeks away on a book signing always dulled his memory a bit. "Is that where everybody is? Home with the flu?"

"Most everybody," Reid said, opening the door a crack and extending his arm to jiggle a paper mask underneath Dave's nose.

"What the hell is that?" Dave yelped, recoiling from the flimsy thing hanging on the doctor's gangly arm.

"Mask," Reid replied, his voice muffled by his own mask. "Trust me, you'll need it. How do you think I made it this far without getting it?" His eyes widened over the top of the folded covering as he declared, "Oh, they all laughed at me two weeks ago...but who's laughing now?"

Taking the offering from between Reid's fingers, Dave frowned as he tried to peer into the conference room. "Is anybody besides you here, Reid?" Dave asked, desperate for a person that wasn't quite so...demented… to get his information from. For all he knew, the young genius had finally cracked from the strain and taken out his entire team when he wasn't looking. Either way, he wasn't about to be trapped in the BAU with the germophobe of the century if he didn't have to be.

Nodding, Reid gestured toward the metal rolling cart packed with haphazardly stacked files sitting just outside the door. "JJ's been keeping me supplied in here," he explained, his breaths causing the mask to concave. "Could you please roll that to me?"

Rolling his eyes, Dave pulled the cart toward Spencer's hand and watched as the door opened just wide enough to get the cart inside the room. Stepping forward to enter Reid's commandeered fortress, he unexpectedly found the door slammed in his face.

"Sorry," Reid apologized, his voice sounding anything but, once again on the other side of the safe and secure portal. "But even if you aren't infected, you've been exposed. It's every man for himself, Agent Rossi," Reid's muffled voice intoned through the closed door. "I'm sure you understand."

Staring at the door, Dave pursed his lips as he jiggled the door knob again. Locked. He ground his teeth in frustration as the sound of a spraying aerosol can filtered out. Glaring at the heavy dark wood, he demanded, "Now, what the hell are you doing, Reid?"

"Disinfecting the cart! You and JJ touched it!" Reid explained quickly, holding his breath from behind his mask as he depressed the trigger to his can of Lysol again and blasted the cart. He must remember to send the makers of this very germicide a letter of congratulations for creating such an effectual product.

Shaking his head in disgust at that answer, Rossi yelled, "You say JJ's still here?"

"In her office," came the muffled reply, the sound seeming to fade as Reid obviously moved further away from the door. "Or at least, she was. She looked pretty peaked to me this morning in the short time I saw her."

Staring at the room Reid had walled himself off in, Rossi thought it was somewhat fitting. If the world DID, indeed, end, alarmists such as the young man behind the door probably would be the ones to survive. And that may just explain what good ol' Darwin was attempting to describe all those years ago. Survival of the fittest apparently also depended on who has the largest supply of Lysol at his disposal. "Good luck, kid," he called out as he retraced his steps toward JJ's office.

God, please let her be more reasonable than the youngest member of his team.

* * *

_**Author's Note 2 - Also guys, please don't forget that if you'd like to advertise the awards on your own profile pages or stories, there's a short blurb on my (ilovetvalot) and Tonnie's (tonnie2001969) profile page for you to copy and paste if you choose! **_

**_And thanks to everyone that continues to read, review, favorite and alert! You guys and gals are awesome!_**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: As you all know by now, we are in full swing on the Profiler's Choice Awards hosted on "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". _And we'd like to offer an extra incentive to get those nominations rolling in. For the next five people to complete the nomination ballot in its entirety, I would be happy to write a oneshot of your pairing preference (hetero, slash or femslash, doesn't matter!). _We have an abundance of incredible stories and authors to choose from this year and we have already received many wonderful nominations. Just to refresh your memory though, tonnie2001969 and myself (ilovetvalot) have removed ourselves from eligibility in the interest of avoiding all appearances of self-promotion. But, we want to make this an incredible experience for each one of you and give you a well-rounded final voting selection to choose from. So let's all put on our reading caps and pick our favorites! **

**Also, don't forget to sign up for our newest challenge at the forum. We're honoring Halloween with our first ever "Candy Land Challenge" and signups run through September 30th! Details are at the forum!**

**We also want to invite you to take a look at our new discussion threat at the forum, "The Ever Controversial Original Character" and a riveting new interview with the very talented forensicwhiz94! Stop by and get to know her!**

**As always, guys, Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Flu-topia**

**Chapter Two**

David Rossi retraced his steps back down the hallway. JJ and Reid were the last men standing, huh? And now, JJ had probably fallen down on the proverbial blade by trying to be Super Woman. Great!

Thoughts filled with the warm, beautiful woman that had stolen his attention from the day he wandered back into the Bureau's world, he hurried toward her office. If there was one thing he knew about the young woman, it was that she had the determination of an ox...but, unfortunately, the fortitude of a sparrow. If the flu had reared its head in her office, it was definitely wreaking havoc on the willowy beauty.

And as he strode through her open doorway, all his theories were proven correct with one glance at the hunched, shivering woman's body. "Jen?" he asked worriedly as he crossed the room to her desk.

Glancing up at the sound of a familiar voice, JJ blinked rapidly. "Rossi?" she asked hoarsely, her sore throat dry and aching. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her teeth chattering as she spoke.

"I could ask you the same thing," he frowned, taking in her glassy eyes and too-pale cheeks. "I see the flu has taken you down, too."

"No," JJ shook her head, wincing at the pressure that built up in her forehead at that simple motion. "I'm fine. J-just cold." No way...she wasn't surrendering. She'd made it two weeks while the others had dropped like flies around her. She wasn't giving in now.

"You're sick," Dave countered, quickly shucking his suit's jacket and stepping around her desk to wrap it around her trembling shoulders.

"A-am not," JJ chattered, snatching a tissue from the box on her desk and sneezing into it. "I-it's j-just a little cold," she whispered, sinking gratefully into the warmth of his coat.

"Sure it is," Dave snorted, chafing her arms as she reluctantly released a tight cough. "Besides you and Reid, who's left on this hit parade?" he asked, relieved that her tremors were slowly receding as the body heat left in his jacket and his hands warmed her up.

"Jack got in on Monday," JJ explained hoarsely, closing her eyes as she took some comfort in the sudden heat, "so, by Tuesday, Hotch was down. Emily fell on Wednesday and Morgan followed on Thursday. Garcia tried to take care of them all until she ended up on the couch. Thank God Will has the baby this week in Louisiana or I'd be living in total fear."

"So, you're on your own this weekend?" Dave asked, dropping his gaze to the top of her bent head.

"Uh huh," she rasped, reaching for her tepid coffee and taking a sip, wincing at the sensation of anything sliding down her throat. "This is Will's weekend with Henry. He picked him up this morning."

"Good, then you won't mind company this weekend," Dave said with a note of finality as he reached out to flip off her computer screen with a resolved hand.

"Hey!" JJ yelped, batting his hand away and reaching out to turn her screen back on, "I wasn't done with that."

Brushing her shaky hand aside again, Dave replied, resolutely, "But you are, Jen. You can't even sit up straight. It's three thirty on a Friday and I say that your week is done. Consider it an order from a superior in your Unit Chief's absence. I'm taking you home...pick one. Yours or mine."

"I'm not going home with you," JJ stuttered, her eyes wide as she stared up at him with glassy eyes. How in the world had David Rossi suddenly become her knight in shining armor?

"Fine," Dave nodded amenably, looking around for her purse and briefcase, "then, I'm going home with you."

"No, you aren't," JJ shook her head. "You can't. How would that look, Dave?"

Snagging her leather bag off the credenza behind her desk, Dave shrugged, "I don't particularly give a damn, but if I had to venture a guess, it might look like one colleague helping another colleague out."

"Normally, I'd agree with you," JJ replied, pausing as another coughing spasm captured her, and suddenly, the act of merely breathing demanded every ounce of her attention. Seconds later, when she'd gained a modicum of composure, she looked back at his smug face through watery eyes as she continued, "But when the colleague in question is you, Rossi, trust me...that isn't what anybody will be saying."

"Well, since this place is a virtual wasteland," Rossi retorted, pushing her purse into her hands, "there won't be any witnesses to your fall from grace, will there, Jen?"

"There's always a witness, Rossi," JJ murmured, grimacing as she tried to stretch the tight muscles in her back.

"Pride goeth before a fall, JJ," Rossi warned, gently wrapping his hand around her arm and easing her to her feet, holding her steady while she managed to find her sea legs once again. Damn, he thought as he watched her cheeks pale even more. It was clearly obvious that she had been sick for some time.

"It's not really my pride that I'm worried about," JJ mumbled, her arm tingling under the warmth of his palm. Damn it, wasn't this what she had tried so hard to avoid with this very man the last few months...these intimate moments. Of all the men in the world, this was the last one she trusted herself to be alone with for a few minutes, let alone an entire weekend.

"Your virtue will remain intact, JJ," Dave smirked, tightening his grip as she wobbled unsteadily. "Well, as long as you want it to, anyway."

Ignoring his overt insinuation, JJ sighed. "Just get me home to my own bed, Rossi, if you insist. But then, do us both a favor and allow me to die peacefully in the comfort of my own home."

"Not on my watch, lady," Dave replied, his words an open challenge.

It might be a game he never expected to play with her, but it was very definitely afoot.

* * *

_**Author's Note 2 - Also guys, please don't forget that if you'd like to advertise the awards on your own profile pages or stories, there's a short blurb on my (ilovetvalot) and Tonnie's (tonnie2001969) profile page for you to copy and paste if you choose! **_

**_And thanks to everyone that continues to read, review, favorite and alert! You guys and gals are awesome!_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: As you all know by now, we are in full swing on the Profiler's Choice Awards hosted on "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". And we'd like to offer an extra incentive to get those nominations rolling in. For the next five people to complete the nomination ballot in its entirety, I would be happy to write a oneshot of your pairing preference (hetero, slash or femslash, doesn't matter!). We have an abundance of incredible stories and authors to choose from this year and we have already received many wonderful nominations. Just to refresh your memory though, tonnie2001969 and myself (ilovetvalot) have removed ourselves from eligibility in the interest of avoiding all appearances of self-promotion. But, we want to make this an incredible experience for each one of you and give you a well-rounded final voting selection to choose from. So let's all put on our reading caps and pick our favorites! **

**The more we nominate, the more wonderful options we'll have to choose from!**

**Also, don't forget to sign up for our newest challenge at the forum. We're honoring Halloween with our first ever "Candy Land Challenge" and signups run through September 30th! Details are at the forum! You have thru 9/30/10 to enter!**

**As always, guys, Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Flu-topia**

**Chapter Three**

Twenty-four hours later, Jennifer Jareau was certain of one thing. The apocalypse was obviously coming, the end of days very definitely nigh. It had to be. It was the only explanation for this unexpected, unexplained phenomena occurring in her home.

David Rossi had found his domestic side. It was disturbing. Highly disturbing.

She hadn't thought too much of it yesterday when he'd brought her home, carrying her inside her brownstone and depositing her in her bed with a minimum of muss and fuss. While initially disquieting, she simply hadn't had the energy to fight his care, taking the medicine he had pressed into her hand every four hours like clockwork without argument.

She hadn't even minded when he'd finally climbed in bed with her last night when the shakes had riddled her fever riddled body. Her human heating pad had been an all too welcome a relief to her aching body, and the gentle hands that had soothed her throbbing back had felt much too good to deny.

She was human. She wasn't going to turn down comfort when she was barely even able to feed herself, now was she?

In the harsh light of day, her only regret stemmed from her loose tongue. Blushing, she recalled the brief conversation they'd shared before the medications had overwhelmed her.

_She'd seen his shadow when he'd walked into her darkened bedroom. "Dave?" she had whispered, confused, her tongue thick in her mouth._

_"Shhhh...it's just me, Jen," Dave had returned, moving closer to the bed and flipping on the lamp on the nightstand, bathing the room in an eerie glow. "It's time for more medicine."_

_"Don't want any," she whined, squinting at the lamp as the light sent a jolt through her already aching head. "Turn that off," she ordered hoarsely, turning her head away from the horrible light._

_"Not until you swallow these," Dave had replied patiently, dropping her glass of water on the nightstand as he perched beside her hip on the bed. Pressing the pills in her hand, he rumbled, "Trust me, you'll thank me later."_

_Grimacing as she took the pills from his hand and threw them to the back of her throat, she accepted the water glass gratefully from his outstretched hand. Collapsing back against the pillows, she handed him the glass back. "You can go home, you know. I'm more than capable of handling things from here."_

_"I'll leave when you do a better job at convincing me that you're better," Dave replied with a snort as he'd reached out a hand to smooth her hair back. Frowning when he'd touched her flushed skin, he muttered, "Jesus, you're hot, Jen."_

_Smiling lazily, she'd replied, her voice still hoarse even after the water, "I bet every woman waits for you to say those words to her, don't they?"_

_"I haven't said those words in the context you're referring to in a very long time, babe. But the literal and figurative meanings definitely apply here," Dave had chuckled, his eyes twinkling._

_Oh, JJ sighed to herself, watching his darkly handsome face, she could really get herself in trouble here. Always attractive, David Rossi was beyond tempting when he was sexily rumpled as he was now. And without any real thought, she had lifted her hand to slide down his wrinkled shirt. "So you're saying that you like me?" she had asked him innocently._

_Chest tightening as her warm fingers had grazed his belt buckle, Dave had stared into her fever brightened eyes and nodded. "Oh, I like you, Jen."_

_"How much?" she'd taunted, pushing herself up and toward him, somehow made braver by illness. For a bare moment, her aching body seemed to fade into the background as she had stared into his dark, glimmering eyes._

_"Enough that I'm more than willing to wait for you to feel better before revisiting this discussion," Dave had replied generously, pulling away from her as her lips had brushed his._

_And she'd literally gotten chill bumps when he'd stood over her and warned before turning out the light, "But, believe me, JJ, we will definitely be referring back to this conversation...very soon."_

_"If I remember," JJ had murmured cheekily, her eyes already closing as she leaned back against the cool pillow._

_"Trust me, tesoro, I'll have no trouble reminding you," Dave had said, his voice a silken promise, before slipping quietly from the room._

Cheeks flushing as she remembered the conversation of just a few hours ago, she held her breath as she heard her vacuum cleaner abruptly shut off. God, what had gotten into her last night? And better yet, why the hell had it felt like David Rossi hadn't minded?

* * *

Scooting JJ's coffee table aside with his leg, Dave ran the vacuum cleaner across the carpet with more vigor than he'd felt in years. Hell, he had to do something after last night's eye opening conversation. The nervous energy had to go somewhere. Might as well be housework, right?

There was definitely something therapeutic about channeling his energy into common household chores. There always had been for him. He was well aware that if any of his teammates saw him now, they'd laugh their collective asses off. Hell, he couldn't even blame them. But honestly, he missed this side of things...having someone to take care of...having a purpose.

And while he knew JJ and her son weren't his responsibility, he couldn't deny that the thought of making them so hadn't been taking up more and more of his thoughts lately. Especially since she'd separated from LaMontagne six months ago.

He, along with each of their colleagues, had helped JJ out with the odd chore here and there over the past few months...but, more and more, the role of caretaker had fallen to him. Hence, he'd spent more and more time with the gorgeous beauty and her adorable son. Slowly, they'd both worked their way into his blood.

And as unfortunate as JJ's illness was, he couldn't deny that he was an opportunistic bastard. Perhaps this would illustrate, once and for all, that his days of playing the field, fast and loose, were at an end. He'd been searching for that perfect moment to show her that he could be much more. And hopefully, this was it.

He wouldn't deny that he'd had his doubts initially about the entire familial package. Hell, there was a reason he'd never become involved with a mother before, but Henry's presence had only enhanced the longing he'd experienced when he looked at JJ prior to his arrival, not eliminated it.

And now, he was certain of exactly what he wanted in his life.

And her name was Jennifer Jareau.

* * *

_**Author's Note 2 - Also guys, please don't forget that if you'd like to advertise the awards on your own profile pages or stories, there's a short blurb on my (ilovetvalot) and Tonnie's (tonnie2001969) profile page for you to copy and paste if you choose! **_

**_And thanks to everyone that continues to read, review, favorite and alert! You guys and gals are awesome!_**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: As you all know by now, we are in full swing on the Profiler's Choice Awards hosted on "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". And we'd like to offer an extra incentive to get those nominations rolling in. For the next five people to complete the nomination ballot in its entirety, I would be happy to write a oneshot of your pairing preference (hetero, slash or femslash, doesn't matter!). We have an abundance of incredible stories and authors to choose from this year and we have already received many wonderful nominations. Just to refresh your memory though, tonnie2001969 and myself (ilovetvalot) have removed ourselves from eligibility in the interest of avoiding all appearances of self-promotion. But, we want to make this an incredible experience for each one of you and give you a well-rounded final voting selection to choose from. So let's all put on our reading caps and pick our favorites! **

**Also, don't forget to sign up for our newest challenge at the forum. We're honoring Halloween with our first ever "Candy Land Challenge" and signups run through September 30th! Details are at the forum!**

**As always, guys, Happy Reading!**

* * *

**Flu-topia**

**Chapter Four**

"Well," Dave said with a wide grin as JJ emerged from the bedroom several hours later. "Sleeping Beauty arises...and I didn't even get to kiss her first," he teased, idly stirring the pot of homemade soup simmering on the stove as she walked into the kitchen, her hair still damp from her shower.

Smiling uncertainly, JJ shook her head. "Trust me, Rossi, not even the bravest man would want to risk kissing me right now."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Dave mumbled, glancing back at the steaming pot as she settled at the table. "You should get back in bed though," he admonished gently, "This'll be done soon and I can fix you a tray and bring it to you."

"David Rossi serving time as indentured servant," JJ joked, propping her chin in her hand as she watched him navigate her kitchen effortlessly, pulling down a bowl from the cabinet with one hand as he flipped the stove off with the other. "I should get a picture for Garcia," she teased, her voice not quite as hoarse as it had been just hours earlier.

"Try that," Dave warned, "and you might find yourself shackled to your bed for the duration. And not in that real good way either," he winked, a grin playing on his lips.

"There's a good way to be chained to a bed?" JJ murmured, accepting the glass of orange juice he pushed in front of her.

"Obviously I'm going to need to taken it upon myself to broaden your horizons," Dave chuckled, turning back to the stove.

"That's not what I meant!" JJ blurted, her cheeks reddening from embarrassment rather than fever this time.

"Watch it, Jen," Dave mocked lightly, "your cheeks are going to match that cute red nose of yours before very long. Although, I've got to say, you're putting Rudolph to shame."

"I'm beginning to understand your three divorces, Rossi," JJ replied, narrowing her eyes as her hand rose automatically to hide her nose from his eagle eyes.

"Ah," Dave drawled, waving his wooden spoon at her, "but, I never nursed any of them through a rousing bout of the flu."

"I feel so special," JJ sighed, reaching for a napkin and wiping her nose as he slid a bowl of hot soup in front of her. Obediently depositing her makeshift tissue in the trash can he held out to her, she inhaled the aromatic steam wafting off the bowl. "Smells delicious," she murmured, truly appreciative. "Did the wives at least get the soup?" she asked, cocking one eyebrow at him.

"No, they didn't. You think that could be part of the reason that they're ex-wives? I never felt any overwhelming desire to cook them much of anything at all. But, when you manage to find the three most selfish women on the planet and marry each one of them, it tends to cloud a guy's judgment."

"I can't imagine you as the innocent victim, Rossi," JJ snorted, dipping her spoon into the bowl and taking a delicate sip. "Mmmm," she hummed in appreciation, swallowing. "This is good."

"Glad I could surprise you. My mother would be thrilled that her lessons stuck," Dave grinned, filling his own bowl. "And incidentally, I never professed to be a victim, innocent or otherwise. Just incredibly gullible for a number of years...at least where the finer sex was involved."

"Gullible...or horny?" JJ asked lightly, taking another sip. Try as she might, she just couldn't see the man sitting to her left as being easily misled, no matter how beautiful the woman. But, then again, she'd have sworn eight months ago that Will would never be unfaithful. What the hell did she know?

"Is both an option," Dave winked, sinking his own spoon into the soup.

"With you, Dave...I'm learning anything is possible," JJ said, smiling around her spoon. And that much was true. These past few months, she had gone from assuming he was a freewheeling bachelor intent on only the good time to seeing what she hoped was the real him. Caring. Considerate.

But, most importantly, steady.

Steady had become a characteristic that she'd learned she couldn't sacrifice, especially with a young child. She needed dependable. And in the past few months, he'd provided that attribute in spades. But, of course, she'd been fooled before.

Watching as the woman beside him lapsed into thoughtful silence, Dave murmured, "What's occupying that active mind of yours, Jen?"

Eyes widening as she was caught, JJ clattered her spoon against the bowl as she stuttered, "W-what?"

"Your mind, Bella. What's on it?" Dave reiterated, his dark eyes focusing on her less than certain face.

Unsure how exactly to answer him, JJ shook her head. "Probably not anything you want to hear."

"Don't count on it, JJ," Rossi countered, resting his own spoon against the lip of the bowl. "There isn't much you could say that I wouldn't be interested in hearing about...especially if it concerns either one of us."

"Well," JJ hedged, her lips twisting from side to side, "actually I'm just thinking about the many faces of David Rossi and trying to figure out which one is real."

"Look close enough and you'll find a little bit of truth in each one, Jen," Dave replied softly, leaning forward. "No one face is the entire picture."

"But which one is the most honest...the one you show the public? The one you show the Bureau? Or the one I'm looking at right now?" JJ asked, her voice hushed as she studied him, looking for a sign that what she thought she recognized in him was real.

"I'm a conglomeration of the three, JJ. And I've worked damned hard to become the man sitting in front of you. Now, tell me, what's really on that mind of yours?" Dave declared evenly, unwilling to let her off the hook.

Chewing her lower lip anxiously, JJ met Dave's steady gaze, not at all certain what she should say.

"Whatever it is, Jen, you don't have to be afraid to say it," Dave urged quietly. "We're both adults here. I'm pretty sure I can handle it."

"Do you honestly want to know, Dave?" JJ asked quietly.

"You already know that I do," Dave replied.

"Okay," JJ nodded, drawing in a deep breath, ignoring the sudden catch in her back at that movement. "I was thinking about how much I want to take a risk with you...how I want to be able to throw caution to the wind and take a chance on what could be something wonderful."

"What's stopping you?" Dave asked, trying to remain impassive. "You know how much I want you."

"Because if want is all it is, that's transient. It'll pass. Once you've had me..."

"Jen, stop," Dave murmured, shaking his head as he reached for her hand. "If all this was between us was a passing urge, I'd have stormed your defenses by now. We'd already be past this point. That isn't what this is."

"Then what is it?" JJ asked uncertainly, gazing into his dark eyes.

"Honestly, I don't have a fucking clue," Dave admitted truthfully. "All I know is that when I'm with you and Henry, I can relax. It feels comfortable. It feels, in a word, right. And that's not something I've ever experienced before." Pausing, he measured her reaction. "I want to sit here and promise you forever, Jen. I really do. But I've made that promise three times before and been a liar each time. And you wouldn't believe me anyway even if I made that vow. I don't want to do that to you. I don't want to lie to you...even unintentionally. What I can promise you is if you decide I'm worth the risk, I'll work harder than I've ever worked before to keep this from failing. For you. For Henry. And for me. The question is, do you think I'm worth the risk?"

She wanted to say no...that it wasn't worth the potential heartache. But staring into those penetrating eyes of his, something within him beckoned her. "I think if I said no, I'd spend the rest of my life thinking about what might have been. I don't want to live like that."

Smiling slowly, Dave released a relieved breath. "I was really hoping you'd say something like that," he replied gratefully, leaning across the table.

Eyes widening as his lips approached, JJ quickly pressed her fingers against his mouth. "I still might be contagious," she worried, her eyes widening even as she felt her heart quicken.

And cradling her head, Dave tugged her lips to his. "I think I'll risk it."

And they did. They both did. And the results were amazing.

_**Finis**_

* * *

_**Author's Note 2 - Also guys, please don't forget that if you'd like to advertise the awards on your own profile pages or stories, there's a short blurb on my (ilovetvalot) and Tonnie's (tonnie2001969) profile page for you to copy and paste if you choose! **_

**_Again, thanks to everyone reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting this story!_**


End file.
